Wisconsin Assembly passes state budget

The Wisconsin Assembly passed the state budget Wednesday after Democrats decided against offering any amendments or prolonging debate, saying the $70 billion spending plan is so bad it can't be fixed.

"We believe there's no hope for this budget," said Minority Leader Peter Barca, the only Democrat who spoke against the plan before the vote.

The move was surprising, especially after Democrats drafted more than 200 amendments and just two years ago dragged out debate for more than 60 straight hours on Gov. Scott Walker's proposal taking away public workers' collective bargaining rights.

The budget passed 55-42. Three Republicans - Reps. Steve Nass, Howard Marklein and Steve Kestell - joined all 39 Democrats in opposition. It now heads to the Senate, where Republicans have an 18-15 majority. Debate there was to begin Thursday.

Moderate Republican senators have been pushing for even more changes to the budget and it wasn't clear if changes made in the Assembly would be enough to satisfy their concerns. Republicans have an 18-15 majority in the Senate, so no more than one Republican can vote against it given unanimous Democratic opposition.

The budget must pass both houses in identical form before being sent to Gov. Scott Walker, who has extensive power to veto individual items.

Budget debate was originally slated to last 12 1/2 hours over two days. But on Tuesday, only 15 minutes was spent on the plan as Republicans negotiated in secret over more than two dozen changes that were adopted Wednesday. The vote to pass came at after just over an hour of debate Wednesday.

The changes approved Wednesday, which included undoing a cap on a popular property tax credit program for disabled veterans, touched on a variety of areas in the $70 billion spending plan. Republicans decided against added a provision to the budget to restrict public access to the site of a proposed mine near Lake Superior. They also decided against making changes to Racine's voucher school program that were expected to increase enrollment by 750 students over two years.

On Tuesday, Vos said the budget would be amended to allow the state Department of Natural Resources to pass emergency rules that would restrict public access to the site. Concerns were raised after authorities last week said protesters slashed tires, damaged equipment, destroyed a geologist's camera and stole her cellphone.

"It was too rushed," Vos said Wednesday in explaining why it wasn't being pursued. "We did not have time to vet out the entire process."

Republican Rep. Mark Honadel, who pressed for restricting access to the site, said he was "not pleased" with the decision because of safety concerns and didn't know why it was changed.

"I thought we had a solid agreement yesterday going in but the day crumbled apart," Honadel said. "I personally believe there's a sense of urgency about this whole thing. I certainly don't want it to escalate."

Honadel said the Assembly should act quickly to pass a separate bill on the issue. Once it passes the budget, the Assembly is not scheduled to be back in session until September.

Vos said the Assembly also would not be voting on deleting the requirement that participants in the private school voucher program in Racine must come from a public school. That would have added 750 students over two years to the program by allowing students currently in private schools to receive a taxpayer-funded voucher.

Vos said current law for the voucher program in Racine, which he represents in the Assembly, would not change.

The budget touches the lives of nearly every person in the state. It would cut income taxes for all tax filers by $650 million over two years, expand statewide private school vouchers currently only available in Milwaukee and Racine, and tighten income eligibility under Medicaid, forcing nearly 90,000 people into federally subsidized exchanges to purchase insurance.

It also would allow for the selling of public properties, freeze tuition at the University of Wisconsin for two years, require DNA to be collected upon arrest for a felony or conviction of any crime, and allow bail bondsmen to operate in the state.

"Wisconsin is proud of this budget," Vos said at the beginning of debate Wednesday, highlighting the income tax cut, the UW tuition freeze and other elements that reduce spending.

But Barca decried the expansion of voucher schools, the rejection of the Medicaid expansion and the income tax cuts that give more of the benefit to the wealthy.

"Your budget plan will once again double down on the agenda that has done so much damage to our economy and put Wisconsin in the economic ditch," Barca said.

Some of the 27 last-minute changes the Assembly added to the budget on Wednesday would:

-Repeal a $2,500 cap on a property tax credit program for disabled veterans and their surviving spouses. Changes to reduce benefits for higher-earners in the program would also be removed.

-Delay for at least a year implementation of looser requirements for high-capacity wells. As originally proposed, no one could challenge high-capacity well applications and permits by arguing that the state Department of Natural Resources didn't consider the cumulative impact of the well and surrounding wells on the environment.

-Allow families who have students enrolled in the newly created voucher schools outside of Milwaukee and Racine to stay in the program even if their income increases at a later date above the threshold for admittance. The cutoff is 185 percent of poverty. The change would also allow married couples to exceed the income threshold by $7,000.

-Exempt volunteer police and firefighters from requirements that they live within 15 miles of the municipality where they serve. The budget does away with all residency requirements for public workers anywhere in the state, except for public safety workers. They can be restricted to living within 15 miles of the local government where they work.

The changes were approved on a 59-36 vote, with five Democrats voting for it and two Republicans against. Four Republicans did not vote.

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